NICB/Vexcel Imaging coalition responds to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma

In partnership with the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Vexcel Imaging has been leading a coalition of geospatial firms to make available through a web-based geospatial application, high-resolution aerial imagery of critical areas of southern Texas and areas in Florida impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

The coalition’s efforts are in response to flooding and damage caused by the hurricanes, torrential rains, flooding and destructive winds and are assisting first responders, humanitarian organizations, federal and state agencies, and insurers by providing them with high-resolution imagery that is providing actionable insight into the situation on the ground.

Aerial mapping firms that include The Sanborn Map Company, Keystone Aerial Surveys, Quantum Spatial, and GPI Geospatial have mobilized aircraft equipped with high-resolution UltraCam nadir and nadir/oblique systems. Vexcel and the aerial mapping companies have coordinated the collection of dozens of AOI (areas of interest), and received priority access to fly these areas as weather conditions have allowed.

Following collection, the aerial mapping firms are rapidly processing the large volumes of collected data using Vexcel’s UltraMap workflow software to produce and upload the geo-referenced imagery the day after acquisition. An additional and key member of the coalition is the global leader of GIS software, Esri, who is providing a custom, web-based ArcGIS application to allow high-priority users to view the imagery through a web browser on any desktop PC, tablet or mobile device. The web application allows for searching by address or point of interest, taking accurate measurements, viewing side-by-side imagery (before/after), and viewing oblique along with corresponding ortho imagery. The web app also enables viewing additional information (public and private) layered on top of the imagery.